A fistful of coppers
by loobylu
Summary: Jack Meadows takes his troops off on a team building weekend hoping to mend some rifts and form some new bonds in CID. Jam pairing


A Fistful of coppers

This is set just after the whole Sam/Jo/Seth storyline just for the tension but a certain DS who wasn't around then is! Just to add a bit of evilness! ;o)

Jack Meadows takes his troops off on a team building weekend hoping to mend some rifts and form some new bonds in CID. However, the bonds forming are not exactly what Jack had in mind………

"Right team!" Jack boomed strolling into C.I.D. "We're going on a team building exercise and as well as socializing and working as a team, I'll be putting you into pairs."

Phil groaned, "Why do I feel like I'm back at school?!"

Jo grinned and replied "Probably because mentally, you never left!"

Sam sniggered, Phil grinned and Stuart scowled. Jack continued "I've put people into pairs of who I think could do with getting to know each other better and learning to be more tolerant of each other. So you will be paired up as follows: Phil, Stuart…Gary, Suzie…Zain, Mickey…Jo, Sam and I'll be with Gina as there was a space left over". The office went quiet as each person considered the next few days they were spending with their allocated partner. Jo felt for Gary as she saw how hard he tried to hide the disappointment he felt, laughed inwardly as Stuart and Phil scowled at each other like a pair of tom cats guarding their territory and wondered about Sam's expressionless face that seemed to give nothing away.

"So where is it we're going anyway?" Mickey asked.

"Ah well, that you will find out" Jack answered.

"Come on Gov, we need to know what to pack" Suzie offered sensibly.

"Fair point" Jack conceded. "Well it's an old fashioned ranch in the country, so cowboy boots and Stetsons if you've got em! You'll be learning line dancing and horse-riding amongst other things!"

"What is this Gov? Some kind of Brokeback Mountain fantasy?" Phil whinged. Zain and Mickey laughed.

"I reckon it'll be fun, this!" Gary grinned.

Jo smiled inwardly, pondering over the irony of spending the gayest of days with the straightest of people.

The following day they all left from the station on the small bus. Jack had begun the day as he meant the exercise to go on and had paired them up already to sit on the bus. The only person who looked really enthusiastic apart from Jack and Gina was Gary. Munching away on a bag of sweets he looked every bit the kid off on a school holiday. Gina had her Stetson on already and Jo assumed the rest of her line dancing attire was in her luggage. Mickey and Zain looked quite happy paired up with each other. Jo figured that the only reason they were put together was because they hadn't worked together that often and not for any reason owing to an underlying tension. Now what was that underlying tension between her and Sam? Well Jo knew what she put it down to but she doubted that Jack, for all his years as a great detective, was clever enough to figure out the complexities of a woman's mind. In fact Jo had only just figured her own out with the help of her sub-conscious. Having woken in the night from a warm and fuzzy dream about the blonde sergeant she realized just what that awkwardness was she felt around her superior. And now she found her irresistible…her bluey green eyes, long shiny blonde hair, soft pink lips with that cute freckle underneath…and her body was as perfect as her face. Small and compact, slim and toned. Jo's eyes wandered down over her perfectly rounded breasts hugged tightly by her baby blue top…the glimpse of flesh between her skirt and her knee length boots…Jo turned away looking out of the window, her mind had wandered to places it should not go and she instantly felt a hot flush engulf her body.

"Wanna sweet?" Jo was relieved as she felt Gary poke her shoulder. She didn't want a sweet but she wanted the distraction.

Jo wasn't the only detective however who had difficulty controlling their feelings for the demure D.S. In fact, unbeknownst to her, she had quite a fan-club and her pick of the bunch. The reason Phil and Stuart hated each other was because they were both vying unsuccessfully for Sam's attention.

"I don't think we need this stupid few days away to sort out our differences do we?" Stuart said to Phil.

"No, I think you're a snake and I don't like ya. End of." Phil huffed back.

"Really? See I think the problem is we both have our eye on the same woman. And you don't like the thought that I will get her." Stuart arrogantly stated.

"Pfft. In your dreams."

"Oh she is…and she's hot" Stuart sleazed, determined to get a reaction. Phil just gritted his teeth and said nothing. What could he say? He had been a complete prick himself in his day. He'd had more meaningless affairs with more women than he cared to remember. And he had been an arsehole to Sam, which he had regretted deeply and was desperately trying to make up for.

Realising that Phil wasn't biting Stuart tried another tact. "Money where your mouth is Hunter. Fifty quid says I can pull Sam before this trip is out."

"Well if you're that confident make it a ton." Phil's ego kicked in all by itself.

"A hundred it is. Winner takes all, the woman and the money" Stuart smiled insidiously.

Upon arrival and checking the team in, Jack realized there was a problem. "Ok, so there's been a bit of a mix up. We're s'posed to have four twin rooms but they've given us three and a double…"

"I'm not sharing wiv 'im!" Phil immediately piped up.

"Yea no offence Zain, but I aint sharing wiv a geezer neither." Mickey agreed.

"I know, I understand. And obviously neither me or Gary can share with our partners so…Sam?"

"What?" Sam snapped at him, knowing where he was going. Jo groaned inwardly, hoping this wasn't happening. She had thought sharing a room was going to be difficult but a bed? "Just because we are both women it's ok for us to share a bed?" she huffed.

"Yea Gov. Think about it, sharing with Jo would be like sharing with one of us!" Phil offered his support. He looked at Jo "No offence…"

Jo snorted. "It will be nothing like sharing with one of you because I can keep my hormones under control! No offence!" She added sarcastically.

"Look I realize this is not ideal…" Jack interjected before world war three broke out in the reception. "But…"

"It's fine!" Sam snapped. Then she mumbled across at Jo, just audible enough for most of the group to hear "So long as you can keep your hands to yourself!"

Jo felt her face start turning red with anger. "Oh, I'm sure I can. You're nothing special. Think you can manage to keep to your side of the bed without your hands wandering?!" Sam was speechless and Jo was gutted. She grabbed the keys to their room and marched off, with her case and a stunned Sam following behind. They both unpacked their things in an uncomfortable silence. Jo hated what she said to Sam because it was so untrue. Sam was special, very special to her and all she'd wanted to do the last few days was tell her so. Instead Sam had forced her to say the complete opposite because of her ignorance. And Jo wondered how she could be so in love with someone so ignorant? Sam had never shown this side of her before, she'd never tried to use Jo's sexuality to humiliate her, in fact she had never seemed bothered by it at all. Whatever it was that caused the tension between her and the DS, she wasn't sure. But she knew it wasn't homophobia. She knew Sam enough to know she wasn't like that. Jo supposed that when it came to the crunch, when she had to put her money where her mouth was, she wasn't entirely comfortable. But she made a conscious decision however, that no matter how much Sam wound her up, she wouldn't bite again like she did earlier. She wouldn't be manipulated into saying things she really didn't mean just for effect. And now she had got that clear she decided to break the silence.

"Just because I'm a lesbian Sam doesn't mean I automatically find you attractive" she said without a trace of anger or bad feeling. _I'm attracted to you for who you are, not who I am _she wanted to add.

"I know. And anyone who thinks like that would be as ignorant as Phil" Sam smiled a little hoping Jo would smile with her. "Just as I don't want to sleep with every man I know. I'm sorry Jo." Sam looked away, the familiar sting of tears threatening her eyes. Jo was confused, she was preparing for another full blown argument but instead she got an apology from Samantha Nixon, admitting she was wrong! "That's two apologies in as many weeks Sam, steady!" Jo smiled making this as easy for Sam as she could. She cared for her too much to make her suffer. And what exactly was she suffering from? Why was this so difficult for her? "It's not you Jo. It's me, it's my problem."

"Anything you want to talk about?" Jo offered.

"No." Sam replied quickly. Then added "not just yet." Both women exchanged a small smile, grateful that the awkwardness was broken.

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. They'd all eaten and Jack had given them the itinery for the next couple of days. Then they all headed back to their rooms to get a good night's sleep. The rooms were decorated in a typical nineteenth century fashion with wooden walls, and the double room Sam and Jo shared contained a large four poster walnut wood bed. Oil burners served as lighting and the adjoining bathroom contained a large sunken corner bath with candles in small alcoves. Jo thought how romantic it could be given the right circumstances. "So which side of the bed do you want?" she asked.

"I don't mind." Sam replied. "You choose."

Jo laughed. "This team building exercise is supposed to help us all get along better Sam, not give us a personality transplant!"

"Fine, I'll take the left!" Sam asserted with a smile.

"Great!" Jo said, relieved to have back the Sam she knew and loved. There was only so much compromise and consideration she could take from the self-assured blonde before she would start to feel that she was living in a parallel universe. She changed in the bathroom and then pulled the covers back and settled into her side of the bed, trying very hard to avert her eyes when Sam emerged in a pale lilac silk nighty. She felt a small gasp escape her mouth and hoped to God that it wasn't audible. Imagining her dream woman coming to bed with her in her nightwear wasn't the same as seeing her in the flesh. She wondered how fate could be so cruel as to place this woman in her bed under any other circumstances other than the ones she fantasized. "Goodnight Jo" Sam said pulling the covers up to her shoulders and lying on her side facing away from Jo.

"Night." She replied blowing out the oil lamp on her bedside table. She lay staring into the darkness for a while, a million thoughts working their way around her brain. She was very much aware of the large space between her and the sleeping form of Sam beyond it. The three foot may as well have been three lights years for how far apart they really were. Jo got up. There was no way she was going to fall asleep anytime soon. She pulled a jumper over her head and headed outside, searching through her contact list in her mobile for her friend Teri.

"Hey Jo what's up?"

"I'm sorry, I know it's late but I just had to talk to you."

"That's ok, I'm not in bed". Teri had been a friend of Jo's a long time. They had met in a bar on Canal Street, back when Jo was a P.C working for Greater Manchester police. It was one of those strange friendships between two gay women that had been as close as two people could be without there being anything sexual. Teri was an accountant for a law firm in central London. Jo believed her mathematical mind was the reason behind the logical thinking which she applied to all aspects of her life, including relationships. She recounted the events of the last day and waited patiently for Teri's opinion.

"Well looks to me like a clear case of U.S.T!"

"U what?" Jo asked.

"Unresolved sexual tension."

"Well yea I could have told you that! I've never been this frustrated in my life!" Jo laughed.

"Only coz no woman's ever said no to you in your life!"

"Hey…!"

"It's true Jo, you're a babe you can have any woman you want."

"Except Sam." Jo resigned.

"Well I dunno…. I mean I think she likes you".

Jo snorted her response to that statement.

"No I'm serious. Hear me out. She treats you the way she does because she's in denial. The issues she has about sleeping in the same bed as you aren't about not trusting you they're about not trusting herself. She keeps you at arms length because she is scared of letting you get close because she is confused about her feelings for you."

"Teri…I don't know…"

"You said yourself there was a lesbian in there somewhere screaming to get out!"

"Yes well that was tongue in cheek!" Jo answered

"I know but remember I have seen the two of you together in the pub when we've met up after work and there is definitely chemistry there."

"You think? I mean is it obvious?" Jo wasn't sure she liked the idea of her feelings for Sam being clear for all to see.

"Not obvious to the untrained eye, but I am not untrained as you know!" They both laughed.

"I just don't want to let myself believe she has those feelings for me because if it's not true Teri I'd be gutted."

"I wouldn't lie to you Jo just to get your hopes up. You know I give you nothing but my honest opinion."

"I know you do. I just don't know how to play it if this really the case."

"I wouldn't play it anyway Jo. Whatever she feels for you at the end of the day she is straight and it would inevitably end in heartbreak-yours."

"Thanks!" Jo said sarcastically.

"I tell it how I see it. That's why you love me. Yes I believe she has those kinds of feelings for you but I would warn you to tread carefully!"

"Ok I will. But I can't do nothing, it's not my style!"

"I know! But do you think you can go to sleep now?"

"Hmmm…I'm sure I will. I'll let you go. Thanks Teri."

"No problem. Now keep me posted!"

"I will! Night."

"See ya".

Jo headed back to the room, passing Gina on her way out for a sneaky fag and contemplated a soak in the tub to mull over her new thoughts.

Sam stirred in her sleep. She felt Jo beside her in the bed, her strong arms holding her close, her large breasts in her back, her warm breath on her neck. She was alarmed slightly, but just for a split second. She turned in Jo's arms to face her, hoping the movement would cause her to wake. She looked at Jo in the darkness, her heart beating as Jo's eyes fluttered open. Bluey brown gazing into bluey green. Jo positioned herself so she was hovering just above Sam, her fingers stroking Sam's face and hair. It seemed to take an age but when Jo finally leaned down to kiss her, her soft lips touching Sam's, she gasped and woke up…

"Shit!" She sat bolt upright in bed and rubbed her face. Her heart was pounding; her head was spinning, not to mention the dull ache between her legs. She looked at her phone beside the bed, 01.15. She then got out of bed and stumbled sleepily to the bathroom. She opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks as she walked in. Jo was lying in a bath full of bubbles, her eyes closed and some earphones in her ears. Sam's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened and she quickly and quietly exited the room leaning against the door once she was on the other side. She let out the breath that she had been holding and got back into bed. Sitting up and hugging her knees to her chest Sam tried to process the last few minutes in her mind. Her dream was just…and seeing Jo in the bath knowing only a layer of bubbles was separating her from her naked body was just…Sam let out an exasperated growl and punched the bed. She concluded that she must be having some kind of mid-life crisis and that at some point her hormones would sort themselves out and go back to normal. In the meantime she would just have to wait impatiently for these strange feelings to pass. She knew it would be hell-she hated waiting and she hated anything she was not in control of.

The bathroom door opened and Jo emerged, interrupting Sam's thoughts. Her mind wandered to the surprisingly pleasurable sight of Jo's nipples straining the material of her vest and she mentally slapped herself hard.

"Sorry did I wake you?" Jo asked as she noticed Sam sitting up in bed.

"No, I just this second woke up. Need the loo" she explained as she headed for the bathroom. By the time Sam came back to bed Jo had fallen asleep. Sam watched for a while, mesmerized by the rise and fall of Jo's chest, hoping the hypnotically serene spectacle would help her find sleep.

"Morning! How did you sleep?" Sam asked Jo as they both woke up. She knew she couldn't have slept that well as she was taking a bath in the middle of the night.

"Hmm, not great! You?"

"Oh, you know. Strange place, strange bed…strange person in it!" Sam smiled and Jo smiled with her.

"I wouldn't say you're that strange Sam!"

"Ha!"

"So, what's the plan for today again?"

"Some god awful assault course come treasure hunt thing" Sam frowned.

"Sounds like fun to me!" Jo said. Sam said nothing, just raised an eyebrow in disagreement.

Jo stood under the warm stream of water in the shower. It had been a long hard day and she had been dreaming of this moment for hours. She'd let Sam take the first shower though, figuring it would take her longer to get ready. She smiled as she noticed a couple of long, golden strands of hair that had escaped Sam's head and attached themselves to a bottle of shampoo. She imagined Sam standing naked, water cascading over her body as she stood in the very position Jo was in now. She swooned inwardly before telling herself she was pathetic. She couldn't help but think over the day as she stood with her eyes closed and felt her muscles relaxing in the warmth. Images of Sam flashed through her mind. Sam having a strop when she couldn't get something to work properly, Sam holding onto her as they swung across a river on a rope, Sam laughing at one of her wise cracks, Sam with her shirt wet through after falling into a stream, Sam having another strop…Sam, Sam, Sam! This was doing her head in. She decided that tonight at the 'saloon bar' she was gonna have a few drinks and just try and put Sam out of her head. She stepped out of the bathroom; towel wrapped round her and saw Sam sitting at the dresser applying the finishing touches to her make up. Jo had to make a conscious effort to keep her mouth closed. Sam looked stunning. She was dressed in authentic mid nineteenth century American dress. Her burgundy skirt was multi layered and matched to a bodice with a ribbon drawstring at the front. Her hair was a throng of blonde ringlets pinned to her head with a few stray curls framing her heart shaped face.

"So what costume did you choose?" Sam asked, aware of Jo moving about in the room behind her.

"Ah, nothing as elaborate as yours! I just went with a good old fashioned cowboy outfit" Jo replied when she managed to compose herself enough to speak.

"I think you would've made a rather fetching saloon wench!" Sam said with a grin.

"Ha! Well I'm afraid they didn't have a kennel big enough to keep these puppies in place!" Jo smiled. "And if they did I think I would be in danger of suffocating with them all trussed up like that!"

Sam laughed but for some reason the image of Jo's spectacular bosom full to overflowing in a tight corset was consuming her brain.

"Right, how do I look?" Sam asked as she got up from the stool. Jo tried to think quickly of the best way to answer and decided that honesty was the best policy. "Stunning" she said simply before busying herself towel drying her hair so she didn't have to look Sam in the eye. Sam felt butterflies in her tummy. She knew that Jo had meant what she said. It wasn't a casual remark or a placation, she really found Sam stunning. "Thank-you" she replied, genuinely feeling grateful for Jo's compliment. "I'll leave you to get ready then. See you in a bit". Jo smiled at her and drank in her appearance one more time before she left the room. She blew out the breath she had been holding and thought how much she was looking forward to having a few drinks, something to numb her nagging libido. After getting dressed, doing her hair and makeup she stood in front of the full length mirror and laughed at the woman looking back at her. "Joanne you are such a lesbian!" she said to her reflection, the Stetson hat, cowboy boots and chaps reaffirming her statement. Now all she had to do as she headed for the bar was work on her swagger.

"Gary!" Sam said pulling Gary towards her at the bar. "Want another?" she asked taking his empty glass from his hand and attracting the attention of the bar steward.

"Cheers Sam, nice one!" Gary replied.

"I need your advice on something Gary but I also need you to be discreet." Sam said quietly.

"Oh you can count on me Sam, discreet is my middle name." he nodded enthusiastically.

"Well I'm asking you really Gary because you are the younger generation and I know you don't have the same hang ups as us older people and I know you would give me an honest answer." Sam began

"Go on" Gary said giving Sam his full attention, enjoying his feeling of importance.

"Well say you were to find yourself attracted to someone who wasn't your normal type. Maybe they are older than you…or younger. Maybe it's someone you work with which could make it awkward, you know maybe they are a different rank to you. I dunno, maybe they are with someone already. What I'm trying to say is even if it's complicated and not easy for you would you still go for it?"

Gary blew out his breath. "So does the other person know how you feel?"

"I didn't say it was me I'm just talking hypothetically" Sam corrected.

"Right…" Gary said with a wink. "Well then first I would say you need to know if this hypothetical person feels the same way and if they do and you think you really like this person what is there to lose?"

"So hypothetically you would have no problem seeing an older woman for example?" Sam asked.

"The younger generation says if she's fit go for it!" Gary grinned. "Nothing else matters at the end of the day if you find that special someone".

"Thanks Gary" Sam said patting his arm and heading for the ladies room.

Jo walked into the bar taking in the scene. Jack was dressed as a sheriff, Stuart, Zain and Suzie were dressed as Mexicans and Gina, Phil and Mickey were dressed as cowboys sitting around a table playing poker and drinking straight whiskey. Gina appeared to have the most chips stacked up. She smiled to herself watching Gina command the table, puffing on a charute. If she didn't know better she would swear Gina had more than a few rhinestone shirts hiding in her closet. She wondered for a second where Sam was but got distracted by Gary, dressed as a Red Indian, calling her over to the bar. "Alright?" he said ordering her a drink "What's put you in such a good mood?" Jo asked.

"Sam" Gary grinned. "I think she fancies me!"

"Pardon?" Jo laughed. She didn't mean to but the idea was incredulous.

"Seriously she was asking me all these questions about whether or not I'd go out with someone who wasn't my usual type."

"And what makes you think she was talking about you?" Jo asked

"Coz she said _hypothetically _and that normally means someone is talking about you don't it?"

"No it usually means they are talking about themselves Gary. Like when someone says _I have a friend who is in trouble, _that kind of thing." Jo replied.

"Yea but she was asking me things like would I go out with an older woman, or someone from work or someone ranked above me."

"So you like Sam like that do you Gary? I thought Honey was the love of your life."

"Well yea she is but Honey isn't interested and, well, Sam's a Milf! You can't put a price on experience Jo." Gary said shaking his head to emphasize his point. Jo tried her best not to laugh. Instead she picked up her bottle of beer off the bar and said "Gary, Sam would eat you alive!" and she joined the others at the table for a game of cards.

When Sam returned from the ladies room she resumed her position at the bar. She was in a contemplative mood and was trying to think over her feelings for Jo. She watched her from across the room playing cards with the others. Her laugh made her laugh, her frown made her smile. When she looked at her she felt this longing sensation and a feeling of nerves in her tummy. But longing for what? Nervous about what? _Her touching you. _Sam gulped down her drink and ordered another. She was in love with Jo, that's what was going on. But how could it be possible? She had never been in love with a woman before, never been attracted to a woman before. And how could Jo look so casual, leaning back in her chair, her feet up on the table, swigging from a bottle of beer, while she was in turmoil? Then she realized what it was. It was Jo's costume making her look stereotypically masculine! That's what it was, stick her in a skirt and she wouldn't be thinking these silly thoughts. Then Jo getting up from her seat broke her reverie. She watched her walk up to the bar just two meters away from her and felt dizzy. This really was driving her mad. It was time to get a grip. "Can I get you a drink?" Jo asked leaning against the bar.

"Yes please." Sam said. "A whiskey straight up". That will sort me out Sam thought.

The bar keeper passed Jo across the drink. "I've always wanted to do this" Jo said and smiled as she slid the glass along the bar to Sam, who stopped it right in front of her without spilling a drop. She laughed and looked across to Jo who raised her bottle and said 'cheers'. Jo had every intention of sidling up to Sam and casually starting a conversation but the bar tender had other ideas. She was a very attractive woman, shorter than Jo and probably ten years younger with brown eyes and a pile of golden red hair piled up on her head. "Don't think I've seen you here before cowboy" she drawled in an authentic southern American dialect. Jo laughed. "First time" she replied, smiling but feeling a little awkward even if the cheesiness was intended.

"Dint think so, never forget a pretty face!" she winked and Jo cleared her throat.

"So how do you find keeping up the accent?" Jo asked trying to draw the attention away from herself. The woman really was lovely but Sam was just feet away and as hopeless a cause as that was, Jo had only Sam on her mind.

"I'm from South Carolina so the accent is mine!" the woman replied.

"Oh God I'm so sorry!" Jo replied horrified but laughed when the bar woman laughed.

Sam felt sick. She felt hot and dizzy and the thought of Jo getting taken away from her by this woman right under her nose made her feel sick. Sick with jealousy and panic stricken that she had farted about with her feelings for too long and now it was too late. This younger woman was throwing herself at Jo and what chance did she stand? Instead of letting Jo know how she felt she had spent all her time doing the complete opposite. When she should have been getting closer to her she was pushing her away and now it was too late. She had to leave the room, she needed air, she needed to get out before she started crying and made a complete fool of herself.

The bar keeper noticed Sam leave and the look on her face. "Not treading on anyone's toes here am I?" she asked Jo.

"No…?" Jo looked confused and the woman motioned with her eyes to Sam's retreating form.

"Nah!" Jo said shaking her head.

"I think so" the woman replied.

"No you've got it the wrong way round. Look, I'm attracted to Sam but she doesn't feel the same." Jo stated.

"Really? Go after her." The woman said. Jo frowned at her. "Go!" Jo got up and wandered outside.

She found Sam sat on a tree stump staring into the darkness. "You'll get cold sat there" Jo said touching her shoulder from behind. Sam jumped. "Sorry miles away" she smiled and stood up. "You'll get cold out here. Come back inside." Jo said concerned.

"I feel like the air." Sam replied. "Think I'd like to walk."

"Mind if I join you?" Jo asked, sounding a lot bolder than she felt.

"I hoped you would." Sam answered also sounding more confident than she felt. "I mean that's if I'm not keeping you from anything. Or anybody…" she added thinking of the bar maid. Jo laughed. "Nah, she's not my type."

"What is?" Sam asked, immediately wishing she hadn't been quite so forward.

"Stroppy blonde coppers!" Jo replied with enough humour in her tone to be able to joke her way out of it. But Sam didn't reply. Instead she just pondered Jo's answer, inwardly cursing that the moonlight wasn't enough for her to read Jo's face. They walked on in silence, both women feeling uncomfortable and neither daring to speak. "Sam what are we doing here, with nowhere to go and nothing to say?" Jo asked finally, the silence driving her insane.

"Oh you know, just thought we'd walk and see where fate takes us" Sam replied. Jo was confused, Sam was not herself.

"Well Sam sometimes fate needs a helping hand and a push in the right direction. Sometimes we have to do things that determine our own fate." Jo answered, thinking how she should probably take her own advice where Sam was concerned. Sam stopped walking and stood facing Jo. "Ok, I will." She said. "Jo…I…" and just before she could finish her sentence the heavens opened and rain poured down on them. They both squealed as the cold, wet water began pelting at their bodies. Jo grabbed Sam's hand and they started running in the direction of a tall barn. Once inside they sat down on a bale of hay, Jo took off her wet hat and waistcoat and Sam discarded her wet shawl. Jo helped her undo her lacy gloves and as she slid the flimsy material down over Sam's soft porcelain hands she wondered if Sam had any idea of the historically erotic significance this act embodied. As the skin on her fingertips made contact with Sam's she felt a tingling sensation that made her body feel alive. She thought how beautiful Sam looked, framed by the moonlight that shone through the window behind her and she wondered what she was doing here, how long she could live with this torture.

Sam felt like she was in a trance. This whole situation seemed so unreal. As Jo was undressing her hands she was imagining her undressing other parts of her body. Her heart was thumping against her breast, and she realized that she had never felt this way with anyone in her life before. So this was what the heart missing a beat, weak at the knees, tummy turning stuff was all about.

"I wish I knew what you were thinking sometimes" Jo said quietly, breaking the electrified silence.

"I don't know what I'm thinking myself" Sam replied looking Jo in the eyes. "Only what I'm feeling". With that she brought Jo's hand up to her left breast and held it against her pounding heart. Jo gasped as her hand rose and fell with Sam's quick breathing. With her free hand she stroked Sam's cheek with the back of her fingers then ran her thumb over the small mole below Sam's lips and then brushed her thumb softly across them. Sam's eyes closed and a small gasp escaped her now open mouth. Jo slowly moved her own mouth towards Sam's, believing that this must all be a dream. When their lips touched a bolt of electricity passed between them causing both women to gasp. As their lips enveloped each others and their tongues tentatively sought out the other, Sam felt her body go weak and her head spin. She was on a rollercoaster ride that was both exhilarating and frightening and even if she should get off, she didn't want to. Jo's kissing was amazing. Her lips were soft and moist, she was gentle and tender and her tongue was both insistent and yielding. She teased and tantalized by tracing Sam's lips with the tip of her tongue, sucking gently on her lower lip, brushing her mouth against hers before giving Sam what she craved, entering her tongue inside her mouth. Each time she did Sam would moan softly, feeling Jo's tongue touch deeper than just her mouth. Jo wasn't just kissing her, she was making love to her mouth with her own and Sam was reminded for a second of other more intimate acts and dared to imagine how Jo's mouth would feel on other parts of her body. As if on cue she felt Jo's mouth against her neck, her head rolled back and she breathed Jo's name into the air. Jo felt Sam's voice reverberate through her body, just as kissing her was awakening her soul. Her fingers traced delicate patterns up and down Sam's arms and along her shoulders as her mouth sucked ever so gently at Sam's skin. She kissed up to Sam's ear and whispered inside "You are so beautiful Samantha". Sam moaned her response, and took hold of Jo's face and began kissing her with a passion Jo had only imagined she possessed. Slowly she got to her feet and pulled Jo with her. As Jo bent her head down to kiss her, she held Sam tightly in her strong arms and her body delighted in the feel of Sam's pressed up against her. Sam clung tightly to her, fearing her legs would give way if she were to let go. Jo's hands wandered down Sam's back and over her behind causing her hips to jut involuntarily and press her body harder into her. They both moaned causing their mouths to break apart. Sam took hold of Jo's hands from behind her back and led her a few steps across the barn to a soft pile of hay. She lay down and pulled Jo beside her, looking up into eyes dilated with desire. "I want you Jo" she whispered, her husky voice profound with her longing. "Oh…Sam!" Jo breathed, her words having touched her as deeply as if she had done so with her fingers. She leaned down and kissed Sam again, gently conquering her mouth while her fingers stroked her hair and face. "Are you sure?" she asked, planting kisses on Sam's forehead and nose desperately hoping she wouldn't change her mind. "Absolutely" she replied and Jo returned her kissing to her mouth, wishing that she could kiss Sam like this forever. Her fingers wandered down to the ribbon holding Sam's corset together and tugged gently at the bow, pulling it apart and allowing Sam's breasts free. She cupped and caressed the right one with her free hand before positioning herself so she was in between Sam's legs, hovering over her. She clasped her hands with Sam's above her head, lightly pinning her down and admired her naked torso. "You're perfect" she whispered breathlessly, before bending down and kissing Sam again. Sam's fingers, entwined with her lover's, gripped tightly and her back arched slightly upwards towards Jo's body, her breasts craving contact. Jo didn't deny them for long; she laid down on Sam's body, her mouth and hands softly caressing Sam's breasts. Both women moaned in unison as Jo took them one at a time into her mouth. She felt herself shaking slightly as she kissed down the valley between Sam's breasts towards her belly. She had never so desperately wanted to make love to someone in her life before. As she kissed Sam's abdomen her hands wandered up each thigh beneath her lover's layers of skirt. She groaned as her fingertips found smooth flesh at the top of lacy stockings. "Oh God Sam!" she breathed against her belly as her hands wandered up Sam's thighs, under her hips and back down the other side, pushing Sam's groin against her. Sam moaned and her legs lifted up and squeezed Jo's body against her. Jo looked up to Sam, "We can still stop if you want to…" she volunteered.

"Don't you dare!" Sam panted, her body aching to be touched. "Make love to me Jo" she whispered. Jo began to slide Sam's underwear down, breathless and dizzy as if Sam's words had not been a request but an act she had just performed herself on Jo's own body. She pushed Sam's skirt up to her waist and noticed Sam was trembling as much as she was, adrenaline, anticipation and an all consuming need for each other manifesting itself physically. She kissed back up Sam's torso to her mouth, leaning on her right hand for support and allowing the left to wander to where Sam wanted her most. "Oh Jo!" she cried as she felt Jo's fingers slide through her wetness and enter inside her. She writhed beneath her lover, whimpering and gasping for air, all the while Jo was kissing her and whispering words of adoration against her mouth. Sam tried somewhere in the back of her mind to find her logical thoughts, to rationalize to herself what she was doing. 'No different to being with a man' she tried to tell herself. Jo's dressed like a man and doing things to her that only a man had done before, it wasn't as if Sam was thinking of her as a woman. But she was wrong and she knew it-no man had ever made her feel like this before, kissed her like this before, touched her like this before. There was no comparison, no justification, it was completely different. Sam really wanted Jo, she wanted a woman…_ You want her, to feel her, to touch her…_Sam reached up for Jo's breasts, cupping her voluptuous icons of femininity in the palms of her hands and at that moment losing herself in the most intense orgasm of her life. "Oh…oh…oh Jo! Oh my G…ooh!" She continued crying out as the waves of passion rocked her body, not threatening to cease and consuming every molecule inside her. Jo felt her own senses exploding and wondered how it was possible, hitherto believing that it was a fallacy that if you loved someone enough you could…_Don't get to thinking big words like love! _She looked down at Sam who was now quiet and smiling up at her and stroking her face. "You're amazing" she said. "So are you" Jo smiled back at her.

"Well I didn't really do anything…"

"And that's how amazing you are." Jo smiled.

Sam frowned ever so slightly, did Jo mean? Could she have…without…_Blimey! _ Jo lay down next to Sam, holding her close. They stroked each others hair and faces, smiling occasionally and kissing each other. They were too lost in their rapture previously and too enveloped in each other now to have heard that there was someone outside the door…

Stuart clicked the save option on his mobile. _Oh Phil, have I got a home movie for you! _

"Has it stopped raining yet?" Sam asked looking up to the window.

"I think so, can't hear any" Jo answered.

"Good, then let's go to bed!" Sam said seductively and began straightening out her clothes. Jo picked up her discarded articles of clothing and put them back on, chuckling to herself as Sam's words rang in her ears, sounding so much sweeter spoken aloud than inside her head.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Just never thought I'd hear you say those magic words to me!" Jo replied.

"Well…" Sam said walking towards Jo. "I think you need to teach an old copper some new tricks" and she kissed Jo full on the lips, indicating exactly what she meant. When she broke away Jo smiled her huge, beaming smile. "Let's go then!" Sam slid her hand into Jo's and they walked back in silence, both savouring the peace around them and the peace within.

Once inside the bedroom the two detectives fell straight away into each others arms. As their mouths became reacquainted their bodies hungered to feel the other. Sam knocked Jo's Stetson off letting it fall to the floor and peeled off her waistcoat so her fingers could set to work quickly unbuttoning Jo's shirt while Jo was tugging at the ribbons that held Sam's corset together once more. It came off easier than the last time and in the light of the oil burners Jo could appreciate the beauty before her even more. After Sam peeled Jo's shirt down her arms her hands immediately made their way to Jo's breasts, cupping them, tentatively touching them, exploring the uncharted territory with wonder and delighting in their magnificence. As she felt Jo's nipples hardening against her fingertips under the satiny material, she was surprised by her own longing to feel them naked. She removed the bra quickly and held its contents lovingly in her hands. Spurred on by Jo's gasps of air and her hungry kisses she moved her hands down to Jo's trousers and began grappling with the belt. Jo followed suit and popped open the buttons on the back of Sam's skirt which once completely undone slid easily over her hips to the floor. She then helped Sam get her out of her trousers and her boots before steering Sam backwards onto the bed. Sam laid back and watched as Jo unlaced her boots, discarding them on the floor, and then peeled off her black stockings. Jo then crawled up the bed, hovering over her lover, kissing her softly whilst removing the last item of clothing left. Sam reached up, tugging at Jo's underwear until both of them were completely naked. Jo gently laid down in between Sam's legs, pressing their naked bodies together and satisfying the craving they both had to feel skin touching skin. Then after a time she began moving her kisses from Sam's face to the rest of her body, methodically covering every inch from head to toe, the back and then the front again, touching, stroking, kissing, sucking, licking every centimeter of the blonde's beautiful body. Sam whimpered and moaned her appreciation, trying to think of a time when any previous lovers had lavished her with so much attention. Jo made her skin tingle all over, she felt electrified wherever she was touched. She realized she had never felt this way before, every other experience paled into insignificance. Then she recognized that with Jo there was no time limit, no intended goal that had to be reached within a certain time frame before it was too late. And rather than thinking two women making love together must be somewhat restricted, she understood all of a sudden how liberating it was and free of physical limitations. She and Jo could make love all night and she hoped to God they would for she never wanted this feeling to end. Now Jo's mouth was back on hers, soft and inviting with lips like small pillows of silk. She'd never enjoyed the act of kissing so much in her life before, with Jo it was an art form, not simply a means to an end but an intimate act of love making in itself. If she had to live without everything else for the rest of her life she could so long as she never stopped kissing this woman, this amazing woman whose kisses touched the depths of her body, penetrated her heart and set her soul alight. "Don't ever stop" she breathed.

"Stop what?" Jo asked.

"Kissing me…"

"I won't…" she whispered back, sucking on Sam's lower lip. Jo was enchanted by Sam and fell heavier under her spell as time passed by. She moved her mouth down Sam's body, placing soft wet kisses in a line down her body until she reached her final destination. She reached up with her hands, linking her fingers with Sam who held on tightly as she lost herself in the abyss of divine sensations. Jo made love to her like she kissed her, or she kissed her like she made love to her, Sam wasn't sure of which only that it was as breathtaking as she had briefly imagined in the barn that it would be. She felt herself evaporate into her lover, and somewhere through the haze of her wild abandonment she heard herself calling Jo's name as she drowned in her own delirium. She wasn't aware how long it was before she could breathe again normally and opened her eyes to find Jo smiling at her, softly stroking her hair and face. Sam was surprised at how easily she could let go, give herself completely and lose control with Jo. Samantha Nixon hated not being in control of anything, especially herself, but in Jo she found she had a deep unexplainable trust. She smiled back up at her and leaned up to kiss her, lifting herself up so she was now positioned on top of Jo. She squeezed Jo's straddled hips, hugging her close while she kissed her passionately, pouring back into her lover everything she had given to her. Sam wanted to return Jo's affection desperately, although she wasn't sure if she knew how. "Jo…I've never…"

"I know sweetheart and you don't have to…" she soothed.

"But I want to…" Sam replied, her husky voice quaking slightly with her apprehension. Jo cupped her face in her hands, "Then just do what comes naturally, don't think about it" and she pulled Sam's face back towards her and kissed away her concerns. Sam felt her inhibitions drifting away as she allowed herself to succumb to Jo's warm embrace. She found her mouth wandering to Jo's neck and her fingers traveling to her breasts. Soon her mouth followed her fingers, stroking, sucking, licking, a delicious assault on Jo's body. She whispered words of encouragement and moaned her approval and as Sam gained in certainty her hand moved further down Jo's body and she kissed her way back up to Jo's mouth. While Sam's fingers began their investigation of her new lover's secret places, her mouth swallowed Jo's moans. Her tongue became insistent, like her fingers probing deeply and exploring inside her sweetheart, her kisses fervent and wanting. Jo found herself melting under Sam's attention, all her senses overloading with the taste, sight, smell and feel of the demure detective. She was only vaguely aware of each sensation blending into one as she entered her own state of euphoria. Sam continued to kiss her, consuming her ecstatic cries, reveling in the gasped variations of her name. She kissed Jo until she was quiet and still, then laid her head down on the pillow next to her, entwining her leg with Jo's and stroking her hair away from her face. Jo turned slightly to face her, moving their bodies closer together and as she stroked her fingers over Sam's shoulders and down her back she said "I told you you're amazing".

Sam awoke in the morning to find herself curled up against Jo, her head resting on the pillow in the space between Jo's head and her shoulder. She smiled and rolled over so she could see the clock. 08:15. They should really be getting up. She laughed as she felt Jo follow her across the bed and mumbling quietly as her movement stirred her awake. She enveloped Sam in her arms from behind and burying her face in Sam's hair she asked what the time was. When Sam told her the time Jo moaned. "We can only have been asleep for about four hours!" Jo grumbled.

"Mmm!" Sam agreed as the images from the night before flashed through her mind. She was tired also but it was that strange kind of satisfied and energized tired that only comes from being awake most of the night for _that _reason. "Jo, is it always like this? You know like last night…?" Sam asked tentatively.

"Eh? Is what?" Jo asked.

"You know…with two women I mean". Sam was glad her back was to Jo so she couldn't see the awkwardness on her face.

"Ah! Well no…I mean it can be. It just depends, you know if someone is special to you…well it's different than if…well you know, they're not."

"I see…" Sam smiled mischievously. "So am I to take it that I'm special to you?"

Jo laughed. "Yes. I was lying before when I said you weren't!"

"Hmm. So you were also lying when you said you weren't attracted to me then!"

"Yes and no. I said I wasn't attracted to you just because I'm a lesbian. Which is true. I'm attracted to you because you take my breath away." Sam smiled as Jo hugged her tighter. "Well, I guess you're not as bad as me. I not only lied to you but I lied to myself!" Sam confessed.

"I know, but it's not easy." Jo reassured. "I vaguely remember what you're going through!" Jo smiled, her mind briefly flashing back a couple of decades. "Just in future, talk to me about things." She kissed the back of Sam's head whilst her fingers stroked down her arm.

"So you want us to have a future…?" Sam asked, testing the water.

"Absolutely!"

"Me too." Sam smiled. She looked at the clock again. "Jo we really should shower and get downstairs to breakfast…" Jo grumbled.

"You go and I'll catch you up. My eyes don't want to open yet!"

Sam extracted herself from Jo's arms and got out of bed. She kissed her sleeping beauty on the forehead before getting in the shower. When she was dressed and ready to go to breakfast she kissed Jo all over her face. "And don't fall back asleep!" She ordered as she headed to the door.

"Yes Sarge!" Jo responded, a grin lighting up her face.

"I don't know Stuart, it just don't seem right" Phil said as they stood in the hallway together just by the stairs.

"It's perfect! Sam finds out about this and then, completely disillusioned by her foray into Sapphic sexual relations, she comes running back to what she knows. One of us will be there to comfort her." Stuart smiled.

"No I think you've gone too far…"

"Well we know which one of us will be there for Sam then don't we?"

"How is she even going to find out about it anyway?" Phil asked. Stuart noticed Sam coming down the stairs and once she was in earshot he said "Well Phil, guess we better hand our money over to Jo…"

"What?" Phil asked confused.

"She won the bet fair and square…"

"Eh?"

"What bet?" Sam asked.

"Oh, Sam didn't see you there" Stuart replied.

"What bet?" Sam asked again more forcefully this time. "Phil?"

"Don't look at me…"

"We just had a silly bet before the trip that's all Sam. You know a 'who could pull…' But it doesn't mean anything…" Stuart trailed off allowing Sam's imagination to fill in the rest.

"Oh doesn't it?" Sam stormed off outside. Her head full of images of betrayal, her heart breaking in her chest, the sting of tears in her eyes…

"Phase two complete!" Stuart smiled triumphantly.

"Now what?" Phil asked.

"Now to watch the fireworks!" Stuart said, nodding his head towards the staircase and Jo walking down towards them.

"Morning!" She said. "You seen Sam?"

Phil cleared his throat, "She went that way" he said, hands in pockets and nodding his head in the direction of the exit.

"Thanks". Jo headed outside with a frown on her face. She was even more confused when she found Sam outside in a state of distress.

"Hey, thought I'd join you for breakfast after all…Sam what's up?"

"Picked up your winnings yet?" Sam asked through gritted teeth.

"Me what?" Jo asked confused.

"Don't play dumb with me Jo I know all about it!" Sam spat.

"Ah well I'm glad you know all about it then maybe you can explain it to me!"

"God you're so infuriating! Is everything a bloody joke to you Jo? Including me?"

"Sam, what are you…"

"Jo!" Phil called across to her.

"Not now Phil…" She called back.

"No I really need to explain something to ya" Phil replied.

"Go on, run along to your mates" Sam said dryly.

"Yes well Sam I'm hoping that someone is going to explain to me what the hell is going on!" Jo walked over to Phil and listened to his explanation.

"And I like you Jo and I care about Sam and so I just thought you should know…" He finished off.

"You bloody idiot!" Jo said.

"I know, Jo I'm sorry. Look I'll fix things with Sam…"

"You better!" Jo said and marched off back to the hallway to find Stuart still casually leaning against the wall. She walked straight up to him, grabbing him by his collars and pinning him harder to the wall. She then reached down and began foraging in his jeans pocket for his mobile phone.

"Ooh Jo I didn't know you cared!" Stuart said with a grin. Jo scrolled through his video images list until she found the offending item and deleted it. Then she threw his phone to the floor and stamped on it until she heard the screen crack. "I don't!" She said angrily and kneed him hard in the groin. "And that's for Sam!" She walked quickly up the stairs away from him, before she was tempted to re-arrange his face. When she was in the privacy of the bedroom she sat down on the bed and allowed the tears of frustration to roll down her cheeks. She hoped that Phil could get through to Sam; she couldn't bear to lose her now. A key in the door disrupted her thoughts and she looked up to see a rather uncomfortable Sam enter the room. She sat on the bed next to Jo and took her hand in her own. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I should never have believed you were capable…"

"No you shouldn't!" Jo answered, the hurt in her eyes evident for Sam to see.

"I'm sorry Jo. I just didn't understand why anyone would do something like that-concoct such an elaborate plan…"

"Sam, it's not always going to be easy. Not everyone will be happy about you being with me."

"But why Jo? People accept and like you the way you are?"

"Yes but I've always been this way." Jo smiled. "It's a bit different when one of their own crosses over to the dark side!" Sam smiled with her.

"Well I've always done what I've wanted with no regard for the consequences so I'm hardly likely to change now!" Jo laughed, wasn't that the truth?!

"Sam I promise you I will never knowingly do anything to hurt you. I care about you too much", she paused then added "I'm in love with you Sam". Sam's eyes welled up with tears of joy and relief and she cupped Jo's cheek in her hand. "I'm in love with you too Jo" she replied smiling into Jo's eyes. "That's why I was distraught when I thought that you couldn't care less."

"I couldn't care more…" Jo said and kissed Sam softly on the lips, tasting the salty tang of tears. They embraced each other tenderly, holding, kissing, and loving. Sam began unbuttoning Jo's cardigan… "Sam, we'll be late for the bus" Jo hazily protested. Sam gently pushed her back on the bed, hovering over her. "The bus can wait!"


End file.
